By Charles Maduka
The Rivers State House of Assembly has begun impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Oduh, following allegations of gross misconduct levelled against them by members of the legislature.
The move was initiated during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule. According to a live broadcast of the session, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, formally read out a notice of allegations and gross misconduct against Governor Fubara. The notice, which was signed by 26 members of the Assembly, was presented as being in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
Amaewhule stated that the notice would be served on the governor within the next seven days. Relying on Section 188 of the Constitution, Jack outlined seven allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara. These include the demolition of the House of Assembly complex, alleged extra-budgetary spending, withholding of funds meant for the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission, and refusal to comply with a Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy of the legislature.
After the presentation of the notice against the governor, the Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Linda Stewart, also read out a separate notice of allegations and gross misconduct against the deputy governor, Ngozi Oduh. The accusations against her include reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds and obstructing the House of Assembly from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities as provided for in the 1999 Constitution.
Other allegations against Oduh include conniving to allow unauthorised persons to occupy offices without proper screening by the legitimate House of Assembly, approaching another group of persons for budgetary approval instead of the recognised legislature, and the seizure of salaries and allowances due to the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Assembly Service Commission.
This is the second attempt by the lawmakers to impeach Fubara and his deputy. A similar move was made earlier following the political fallout between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. That crisis led to escalating tensions in the state and prompted presidential intervention, during which a state of emergency was declared.
At the time, President Bola Tinubu suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, citing the relevant section of the Constitution. He also appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) as the administrator of the state for an initial period of six months.
Fubara later returned to office after a reconciliation process involving the former governor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and members of the Assembly. In December, Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, under which he was elected, to the All Progressives Congress, stating that full identification with the President was necessary to support his administration.
His defection came shortly after some members of the Rivers State House of Assembly also joined the APC, further reshaping the political landscape of the oil-rich state.
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